Hikaru Indou - the jester 🃏

Likes – Rain. Quiet libraries. Herbal tea. White and red flowers. Listening to Yoshiki play the flute.

Dislikes – Arrogant people. Unnecessary lies. Wasting food. Noise in the middle of the night. People who mistreat employees.

Interesting facts – He never gets a servant's name wrong. He can identify a person just by the sound of their footsteps. He smiles more with his eyes than with his mouth. He is left-handed, but learned to write with his right hand to appear "more polite" in front of the nobility. He frequently hides sweets in his room for Yoshiki, although he says that Yoshiki already consumes too much sugar.

An interesting trait – Hikaru has a peculiar habit: when he's very worried, he starts making increasingly biting jokes. The more dangerous the situation, the more witty he becomes. The other fools think he's brave, but Kouhei knows the truth. When Hikaru makes his best jokes... it's because he's terrified. Sexuality – He is gay.

Quirks – He always twirls one of the bells on his hood between his fingers when he's thinking. He adjusts his sleeves before telling an important joke. He mentally counts the people present in the room whenever he enters a space. He never turns his back to a door. He absentmindedly plays with Yoshiki's bangs when they are alone.

Skills – Excellent actor; can perfectly feign emotions. Has a great memory and never forgets a face or a conversation. Learns by observing, without needing anyone to teach him. Knows how to play the lute and flute to entertain royalty. Performs juggling and small illusionist tricks.

Fears – Losing Yoshiki. Seeing his father executed for something he did. Being completely alone. Being unable to save anyone.

Habits – Sleeps very little. Frequently wanders the castle corridors in the dead of night. Reads letters and documents in secret to find out what is happening in the kingdom. Never eats without first checking that the food has not been tampered with.

Flaws – Holds grudges for a long time. Doesn't accept help easily. Manipulates situations when believing the outcome will be better. Has difficulty apologizing to others. When in love, forgets their own limits.

Personality – He is ironic, playful, and even provocative. But as soon as another person enters the room... the old Hikaru immediately returns. As if that affectionate side had never existed. Among Hikaru's flaws, the tendency to keep everything to himself and rarely ask for help stands out; he has difficulty trusting people. The only ones he fully trusts are his father, obviously, and his beloved, Yoshiki. He frequently manipulates situations to protect those he loves, even resorting to lies. He is possessive of Yoshiki, although he knows how to hide it much better than the prince. He puts Yoshiki's well-being above his own, even when it causes him harm. When he decides on something, he is extremely stubborn and rarely changes his mind. Hikaru is the type of person who seems like an enigma to the whole world: a sharp-tongued court jester, endowed with unusual intelligence and an impassive expression. However, in Yoshiki's presence, the mask falls, revealing someone deeply in love and capable of almost blind loyalty—a quality that, in such an intense and unbalanced relationship, can become his greatest strength... and also his greatest weakness.

Personality – He can lie while looking directly into someone's eyes. He can observe arguments without interfering. He can hide fear, sadness, or guilt behind a polite smile. But that doesn't mean he feels nothing; it just means he's learned to hide what he feels. He's romantic, but only with Yoshiki. There's only one person capable of breaking down that facade, and that person is Yoshiki Tsujinaka. In the prince's presence, Hikaru continues to appear serious to any observer. But small details betray him. He allows Yoshiki to get too close. He smiles almost imperceptibly. He makes silly jokes he would never make with anyone else. He accepts provocations without retaliating in kind. His tone of voice becomes lighter. His gaze, normally cold, gains a discreet glint. To anyone else, Hikaru seems impossible to win over. To Yoshiki... He simply stops building his walls. He too has chosen to nurture a deep obsession with Yoshiki. Hikaru's relationship with Yoshiki goes beyond a healthy love. He thinks about the prince constantly. He memorizes Yoshiki's habits, schedules, likes, and even subtle changes in expression. He can sense when Yoshiki is angry even before he speaks. If Yoshiki gets hurt, Hikaru feels an almost desperate need to protect him or even kill the person who tried to hurt him. If Yoshiki ignores him, he spends hours trying to understand why. Despite this, he never admits his emotional dependence. He convinces himself that he's just being cautious. Deep down, however, he knows he would do anything for Yoshiki. Even sacrifice his own life and happiness. Yoshiki is the only person who knows the real Hikaru. The only one who sees him laugh loudly. The only one who hears completely idiotic comments coming from the jester's mouth. The only one capable of making him lose his composure.

Personality - At first glance, Hikaru seems impossible to decipher. His face rarely shows intense emotions, his voice almost never varies in tone, and he faces any situation with disconcerting calmness. Many describe him as cold, but the truth is that Hikaru learned early on that showing feelings at court can be fatal. He only tries to be funny for the kings. He is extremely observant. While others pay attention to the spectacle, Hikaru observes the trembling hands of a servant, the nervous gaze of a guard, or the false smile of a nobleman. He is able to perceive lies, hidden intentions, and mood swings before anyone even says a word. His intelligence doesn't come from books, but from experience. He grew up seeing people die for saying the wrong phrase at the wrong time; therefore, he developed quick reasoning and an almost frightening ability to predict the consequences of each action. He is a staunch realist. He doesn't believe in happy endings, divine justice, or miracles. For him, surviving is already a victory. He possesses a sharp sense of humor. As a court jester, Hikaru masters the art of provocation. His humor is elegant, cruel, and intelligent. He rarely makes obvious jokes; he prefers comments that seem innocent at first glance but hit exactly where it hurts most. He can humiliate a nobleman with just one polite phrase. When someone insults him, he rarely reacts with anger. He responds with a smile. And that, usually, is even worse. Seriousness: during work, Hikaru rarely makes genuine jokes. He maintains an upright posture, speaks only when necessary, and avoids forming bonds with the people of the castle, especially the king and queen. He prefers to appear distant rather than give anyone a reason to use their feelings against him. His father, Kouhei, often says that Hikaru "smiles with his mouth, but thinks with his eyes." He is cold. When faced with a choice between feelings and survival, Hikaru always chooses survival.

Appearance – Hikaru wears the traditional attire of court jesters, but much more elegant than most. His uniform is predominantly dark red, with gold details embroidered on the edges of the sleeves and collar. The fabric is velvet worn by time, but always impeccably clean thanks to the care of his father, Kouhei. His jester's hood has two long points that fall down the sides, each ending in a small bronze bell that jingles softly when he moves. Despite the cheerful appearance of the outfit, Hikaru rarely truly smiles; he only does so when he is with Yoshiki. He has short, almost silvery, white hair that is slightly wavy. His eyebrows are short and white, and his eyes are gray with red pupils. He is 1.65 m tall and has fair, almost pale skin. His teeth are somewhat crooked, with one protruding tooth standing out on the upper left. His white hair escapes from the front of the hood in a small, disheveled fringe that frames his delicate face. His red eyes convey calmness, but they are always alert to his surroundings, as if trying to foresee the next disaster before it happens. Around his waist, he carries a small pouch containing playing cards, dice, colored balls, and other objects used in performances. These are his "weapons": distractions capable of preventing conflicts before anyone is condemned.